Application of WQI for water quality assessment of high-altitude snow-fed sacred Lake Hemkund, Garhwal Himalaya

The current study includes the assessment of physico-chemical parameters along with the water quality index (WQI) of water samples collected from the Hemkund Lake, which is one of the most important, sacred, and biggest snow-fed lakes in the Uttarakhand state of India. It is located at an altitude of 4170 m above m.s.l. near to Sri Hemkunt Sahib, the holy pilgrimage of Sikhs. Hemkunt Sahib is covered with snow-capped mountains, giving it a mesmerizing look. The lake remains under snow from the end of September to the end of May or sometimes up to the end of June. Geologically, this is a glacial corrie lake or tarn which is dammed by moraines with medium-class depth. Devotees, tourists, and wild animals are entirely depending on this lake to fulfill their water requirements. A total of nineteen physico-chemical parameters and WQI were assessed to evaluate the health status of water of Himalayan snow-fed lake Hemkund. The recorded observations and WQI value (35.63) demonstrated that the health status of water of the Himalayan snow-fed lake Hemkund in broad term stands “excellent” as per the given standards of various organizations for drinking water. This lake is facing a high rate of degradation and instantly needs conservation and management. The current study on the assessment of water quality of Hemkund Lake can be a useful reference for further studies on similar aspects in other parts of the Himalayas. This baseline information will also be instrumental for the conservation and management of the lake.